And now for the anwers provided by Sam:
How long have you supported Oldham Athletic?
25 years.
Where did you finish last season?
21st in League One. It was going to happen eventually.
What do you think of your Manager?
As a person? I like him. As a former player? World Class! As a manager? Could go either way.
What were your hopes and expectations at the start of the season?
Didn’t really have any because there was a lot of uncertainty on and off the pitch after relegation. There were a few reputable previews predicting that we’d finish bottom or struggle this season because of it, however, it soon became clear that there were plenty of teams weaker than us in this league. At the same time promotion has never really been a realistic prospect given how unsettled the club has been from top to bottom since day one.
One(s) to watch?
Callum Lang has impressed this season and will go onto greater things. Scholes is getting Jose Baxter back in form which could be crucial next season. Peter Clarke always deserves a mention as he’s a brilliant influence at the club.
Who do you think will finish in the top 7?
Lincoln City, Bury and Mansfield Town for the top 3. Milton Keynes Dons, Forest Green Rovers, Tranmere Rovers and Exeter City to be in the playoff spots.
Who do you think will finish in the bottom 2?
Notts County don’t look like escaping their disastrous season, and while Yeovil and Port Vale have had very bad runs I don’t think Macc will be able to make up the gap.
What are your thoughts on Lincoln City?
They’re probably the best-prepared club to go up. The Cowley’s know exactly what they’re doing and have built their squad really strategically for promotion. They definitely have the same nasty streak that Ainsworth at Wycombe has which sets them apart from their challengers. Bury have more individual talent in their squad but Lincoln have the strength and organisation with just enough talent to make the difference. As a club, I’m very impressed by the way Lincoln have grown and sustained things since promotion from the Conference.
What do you think the score will be?
2-1 Lincoln. It’ll be 1-1 and pretty even for most of it, but we’ll then concede in injury time.
Random fact about your Club?
Every season between 2009/2010 and 2015/2016 we mathematically confirmed safety with 2 games to spare. No more, no less. Random AND depressing!
If you could steal one Lincoln City player for your own team, who would it be and why?
Akinde is the obvious pick, but if Matt Rhead alongside Surridge or Lang would’ve been really effective at this level.
What are your proudest and most embarrassing moments as an Oldham Athletic Supporter?
The proudest moments have to be Forest away and Liverpool at home in the Cup in 2013, Fulham away in the Cup this January.
Most embarrassing has to be the Ched Evans saga in 2015.
Who would you say is your most underrated player?
Not sure really, most players are pretty much rated as they should be! Maybe Gevaro Nepomuceno, Christopher Missilou or Tom Hamer, who’s a very good prospect.
Do you have a Supporters Trust and what role do they play at the Club?
We have a supporters trust, they are volunteers who, individually, work hard for the club. Their influence in the club isn’t particularly large though.
Which was your favourite match involving Oldham Athletic?
Our 5-4 win against Peterborough in 2014, 3-0 down at half time!
Which was your least favourite match involving Oldham Athletic?
Slightly before my time but the FA Cup Semi Final in 1994. The beginning of the downward spiral.
Do you have a Former Players Association at Oldham Athletic?
Erm…don’t know. I know that our owner hasn’t been making pension’s payments though.
What’s the best thing about Oldham?
I’ve never lived there (dad was from there originally), the ground obviously but visiting relatives there was the best other thing.
Have you officially been renamed Paul Scholes Oldham Athletic yet or is that planned for the end of the season?
Pretty much since he took the job, let’s hope he delivers something worthy of Joe Royle’s Oldham Athletic.
Are Bury your main rivals and are you hoping they do not go up?
Not being from the area I don’t have the animosity towards them that some do. We always take a big away following there so that would be a loss.
The infamous Daily Mail article last summer was far from complementary and depicted a club on its knees. How much truth do you think was in it? Do some of those issues still exist?
I’d say that there was a lot of truth to it. The issues have almost certainly been there since the end of the previous regime but I’d say that the current owner is more naïve and has been less savvy about keeping the problems in house. That’s not to say that Lemsagam has done a good job by any means, but my guess is that there’s slightly more money around to cover his mistakes than there was at the end of Corney’s reign. Sadly I’m not certain that things won’t suddenly blow up in our faces at a moment’s notice with Lemsagam in charge.
Frankie Bunn seemed a curious appointment, especially as successor to another managerial rookie in Richie Wellens. Did you expect to see a more experienced manager appointed this time, rather than Paul Scholes?
With the exception of Shez, I always expect us to appoint rookie managers.
I understood the concerns of fans with us hiring Bunn, but with his coaching background and affinity with the club, I actually thought it was a better budget appointment than the previous ones. While Bunn was unspectacular I think he probably met his original brief of stabilising the club at this level with an outside shot at the playoffs, but he didn’t stand much of a chance staying in the job with the owner rocking the boat the way he has done.
Oddly the way things have turned out I’m happy that we have Scholes leading the club forward instead of Bunn or Pete Wild (who did brilliantly in caretaker charge), but that’s only because of his stature in the game and contacts to bring players in rather than any managerial prowess he possesses.
Oldham have enjoyed some real highs during the last 30 years or so: do you think the club overachieved during those great years, and do you think they raised expectation levels too high?
We overachieved getting to where we did in the early 90’s (thanks Joe) but we’re definitely underachieving now.
Given the proximity and continued success of the Manchester clubs, is there realistically much Oldham can do to attract many more fans to BP?
It won’t be easy, only success and entertainment will bring a large number of fans back and even that’s questionable. Although attendances have been up since Corney left the club despite our relegation.
Would you welcome John Sheridan back again?
He was my hero growing up and has done a very good job at certain points of every time he’s been the manager, so I’d always have him back. But he left at the start of last season mainly due to not seeing eye to eye with Lemsagam and his recruitment strategy (and results it must be said) so I doubt he’ll be back any time soon.
"Hopefully, a good summer and decent recruitment will help us push for promotion next season."https://t.co/xkOlIoPs9X#ImpsAsOne #OAFC #Oldham
— Vital Lincoln City (@VitalLincoln) March 12, 2019
https://www.facebook.com/VitalLincolnCity/posts/2096933160342918
